Category Archives: My Journey

Well, can you believe that the first quarter of 2014 has officially come and gone? Crazy how fast time flies. In order for me to stick to meeting my goals, I have to consistently check in on the short term status of my goals. I breakdown the long term to goals into smaller, easier to accomplish goals. Do you remember what my goals are for this year? Do you even remember what YOUR goals are for this year? Or maybe you didn’t set any – not to fret, it’s not too late. Just be sure to make your goals SMART.

I have some pretty exciting goals set for 2014 – well at least I think they’re exciting. Let’s check-in on my own progress…

My Fitness Goals For 2014:

-I want to run a local half-marathon by March 2nd. I have never run a race longer than about 6.5 miles, so I’m anxious to really push myself with the distance. I will accomplish this goal by following the running plan I’ve designed (I just started training). I also want some cool half-marathon memorabilia, but I must earn it first!

CHECK! About a month ago, I completed my first half-marathon. Ohhhhh, I will never forget that day. Click HERE to read all about it.

-I want to lose 5% body fat by my birthday, November 2nd, 2014. I am currently around 30% body fat and have been since I had the skin removal procedures done. It is time for me to make a breakthrough on this plateau. I want to look and feel better than I ever have before. I want to be leaner! I will accomplish this goal by really sticking to a clean diet, better monitoring my nutrition and maintaining an intense exercise program.

Well, this is not going as I had planned. This goal is in need of some MAJOR attention. With the half marathon training I really bumped up the healthy fats, food is fuel! I also packed on about 10 pounds. GEEESHHH! Wasn’t expecting that. Unfortunately, my body fat % has gone UP (helllooooooo – wrong direction) 1% since January 2014. Alterations have been made to this goal. As I still wish to lose a certain percentage of fat by my birthday, I’m changing that targeted amount from 5% to 3% (from the start of January, so 4% as of today). This is a very realistic goal and hopefully I am trending back in the downward direction.

-I want to incorporate yoga back into my regular exercise routine. I want to perform yoga at least once a week every week throughout the duration of 2014, either in my home or at my gym. I realize that “life happens” and some weeks I may not be able to get it in, so I’ve allowed 7 missed sessions, setting a target for 45 sessions out of 52 weeks. Yoga, in the past, has helped to enhance recovery and release stress, so I believe by bringing yoga back into my life I will be able to make progress on other goals as well.

Okay – YOGA! I have actually been able to get in quite a few yoga sessions. I’m NOT, however, on track to meet my 45 sessions for the year, but I’m not far behind. I loooove yoga and have done well incorporating it into my routine. Now I just need to step it up a bit more and I’ll be right on track!

-I want to perform one true pull-up by the end of 2014. This goal is a bit of a “back burner” goal. I have had this one on my list for a while now. I will continue to strength train and focus on my back in an effort to accomplish this goal. Performing a true pull-up would simply boost my own pride.

While I am currently strength training, I am nowhere near that pull-up. I will focus on the previous to goals as my priorities (yoga and fat loss) and continue to keep this is floating in the back of my mind.

You may remember that I had out a chart so that I can literally have a visual of my goals. Now that the first assessment date has come, I can check off the half-marathon goal and continue to focus on the others.

Oh and I can’t forget about the goals that are not fitness related! These are SMART on paper, but some are a little personal, so some of the details have been left out. Here they are:

-contribute to a health, wealth and charity savings account that I have started. I have dollar amounts, timelines and assessments for each of these as well.

I have actually been able to put some money away for these savings accounts. It’s not as much as I had originally hoped for, but I’m excited about this one.

-call at least 1 person that I love every single day. I plan to have a checklist of some sort by my bed, in or on my nightstand. I’ll check it before I lay down to sleep, and if I haven’t yet made that call, I will at that moment.

So the nightstand idea didn’t happen, but I have made sure to call a close family member or friend just about EVERY DAY since I set this goal. Again, very pleased with my progress on this one.

-a short vacation of some sort with my boyfriend. He and I are always running one direction or another. Our lives are busy, busy, busy (like many of yours too!). We both have this on our list for 2014.

Our cruise is scheduled for later this fall!! And I’ve already purchased a couple of bikinis to MOTIVATE ME TO LOSE FAT!!

-attend church services more so than I am now. I won’t go into detail, but I’d like for the boyfriend and I to attend as a couple this year, hopefully we’ll find a parish we both love!

Guess what…we found a church that we both really enjoy attending! We have been going regularly – one of my most proud accomplishments this year!

So, now it’s YOUR turn. How have you progressed in accomplishing your 2014 goals?